52 Ancestors: Earliest Ancestor - Edward Beeson (1659-1712)
When I think about how far back I can trace my family tree with confidence, Edward Beeson stands as my earliest researched ancestor. While WikiTree may show lines stretching further into the past, Edward represents the furthest point where I've personally validated the research and feel confident in the documentation. He's my 7th great-grandfather, and his story spans two continents and three marriages during the tumultuous early years of colonial America.
From Leicestershire to the New World
Edward Beeson was born on February 24, 1659, in Thrussington, Leicestershire, England, to Thomas Beeson and Ann (Pecke) Beeson. He was christened the following year, on February 24, 1660, in the same parish where his family had deep roots. This was during the reign of Charles II, a time of religious upheaval in England when nonconformists like the Quakers faced persecution for their beliefs.
Edward's early adult life was marked by both tragedy and new beginnings. Around 1681, at about age 22, he married Dorothy Baldricke of nearby Melton Mowbray. Sadly, Dorothy died within a year of their wedding, possibly in childbirth, and no child survived her. This early loss must have been devastating for the young man.
But Edward's life took a significant turn on November 7, 1682, when he married Rachel Pennington in St. Mary's church, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Rachel was from London, and while some early genealogies suggested she might have been connected to the prominent Quaker Pennington family, this connection remains unproven. What we do know is that Edward and Rachel were drawn to the Quaker movement and the promise of religious freedom in William Penn's new colony.
The Journey to America
Although Edward and Rachel's November 1682 marriage made it impossible for them to have sailed on Penn's famous ship "Welcome" (which had departed England in September 1682), they soon made their own voyage to America, most likely in May 1683. They were part of the great wave of Quaker migration that followed Penn's establishment of Pennsylvania.
Like many immigrants of the time, Edward and Rachel's ship landed at New Castle, in what is now Delaware. Rather than continuing to Philadelphia, they settled in the nearby village of Irishtown, New Castle County, Delaware. From there, they later moved to Brandywine Hundred, where Edward acquired land along the old Baltimore Road near Big Shellpot Creek - property that was known by the older name of "Old Herring Brake."
Building a Life in Colonial America
Edward and Rachel established themselves as successful colonists. They had four children together: Edward (1683), Richard (1684), William (1687), and Ann (1690). The family was active in Quaker meetings, and Edward proved to be an astute businessman, acquiring multiple land grants and properties throughout Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Around 1701, the family made another significant move to the new community of Nottingham in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where large land grants were being made to Quakers by William Penn's government. Records show that Edward received a substantial land grant of 980 acres in Chester County in 1701. His will, dated 1712, confirms he was living at Nottingham at the time of his death.
Three Marriages, Multiple Legacies
Edward's personal life included not two, but three marriages. After Rachel's death sometime before March 1711, the 52-year-old Edward married Elizabeth Grubb on March 1, 1711, in Nottingham Monthly Meeting. Elizabeth was just 19 years old. Together they had two daughters: Elizabeth (born 1711) and Rachel (born posthumously in April 1713).
Edward's will, written in August 1712 while he was "laid on a bed of sickness," provides fascinating insights into his life and values. He carefully divided his substantial landholdings among his children, giving his son Edward 142½ acres "laying by Nessamony," granting Richard a tract near Southampton in Bucks County containing 290 acres plus 25 acres of liberty land by the Schuylkill, and providing for his son William with his "west lot" in Nottingham plus £48 for building a house. His daughter Ann (who had married and taken the surname Cloud) received £20.
A Complex Legacy: From Quaker Principles to Southern Contradictions
What strikes me most about Edward's story is his resilience and faith. He experienced the loss of his first wife, built a successful life with his second wife Rachel for nearly three decades, and even in his final years found love again with Elizabeth. He was clearly a man of means - his land holdings were substantial for the time - but he was also guided by Quaker principles of community and family responsibility.
Edward's Quaker faith is particularly significant when considering his family's later history. The Society of Friends was notable for their peaceful principles and early opposition to slavery - values that Edward would have embraced. Yet, as his descendants moved south over the generations, the family's adherence to these principles would dramatically change.
Richard's branch of the family eventually settled in Guilford County, North Carolina, and then moved further south. By the time Edward's great-great-grandson - another Edward Beeson - established himself in Alabama, the family had tragically abandoned their Quaker heritage and became slaveholders. I can't help but wonder what the original Edward would have thought of his namesake's participation in the very institution his faith condemned.
The story comes full circle in a way that feels almost like historical justice: Curtis Beeson, my 3rd great-grandfather and son of the slaveholding Edward, lost everything in the Civil War. His land holdings and proof of ownership were destroyed, and he was never able to recover his former wealth. Perhaps it was karma - the peaceful Quaker principles of the original Edward finally asserting themselves through the chaos of a war fought, in part, to end the slavery his descendants had embraced.
Edward died on October 20, 1712, in Nottingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania, at age 53. His will was proven on March 9, 1713. Through his son Richard (my 6th great-grandfather), Edward's lineage continued and eventually led to descendants who served in the American Revolution, qualifying the family for Sons of the American Revolution membership.
Research Notes
While researching Edward, I encountered some interesting genealogical challenges. Early sources conflicted about his wife Rachel's maiden name, with some listing it as "Hall" rather than "Pennington." It turns out these sources were referring to the same person - the early genealogy simply had the name wrong. I also found references that initially seemed to point to two different Edward Beesons, but careful analysis revealed they were all describing the same man at different periods of his life.
Edward Beeson represents the furthest point back in my family tree where I feel confident in the documentation. While it's tempting to follow lines that stretch back centuries further, Edward's story - supported by wills, land records, Quaker meeting minutes, and even DNA connections to Richard's siblings - provides a solid foundation for understanding my colonial American roots. His journey from Leicestershire farmer to successful Pennsylvania landowner embodies the immigrant experience that shaped early America.
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